OFF snub SDLP youth event because Durkan wasn't there

[seamasdefaoite]

FF snub SDLP youth event because Durkan wasn't there

On Saturday the SDLP youth had held an event about Civil Rights in the 21st Century.

SDLP youth press statement

Members of Labour Youth and Young Greens were in attendance. However members of OFF turned up at the start for a Photo Shoot with Ivan Cooper and then on realisation that Mark Durkan wasnt there they promptly disappeared. Durkan eventually arrived for his Q&A session which was due to start at 3.30. It was at this time that one solitary member of OFF turned up to ask just one (clearly scripted) question "What is your reaction to the Taoiseachs comments about FF considering organisation in Northern Ireland?" or something along those lines.
Otherwise the event went really well with encouraging debate about how we can progress with the Civil Rights agenda in the 21st century.
Alban Magennis made a very strong statement about keeping the SDLP's identity which was clearly a salvo at both FF and SF.

So what are FF really up to? It is clearly nothing along the lines of a happy merger with the SDLP and isnt about thrashing SF they can do that south of the border. I think that personally it is one of two things. A) A distraction away from a crumbling government and berties testament to the tribunals or B) A ruse to rattle the shinners and Labour by spliting the SDLP and taking the right wing minority away from it. SDLP members beware. If anything FF will do to you it will be to gobble you up, chew up and spit you out with no mercy.

[jerryp]

Séamus. I agree with your analysis, especially in relation to the tribunal. It appeared to me in follow-up interviews that FF hadn't thought this one out.

[PaddyDevlin]

Otherwise the event went really well with encouraging debate about how we can progress with the Civil Rights agenda in the 21st century.
Alban Magennis made a very strong statement about keeping the SDLP's identity which was clearly a salvo at both FF and SF.

So what are FF really up to? It is clearly nothing along the lines of a happy merger with the SDLP and isnt about thrashing SF they can do that south of the border. I think that personally it is one of two things. A) A distraction away from a crumbling government and berties testament to the tribunals or B) A ruse to rattle the shinners and Labour by spliting the SDLP and taking the right wing minority away from it. SDLP members beware. If anything FF will do to you it will be to gobble you up, chew up and spit you out with no mercy.

I’m sure your SDLP Youth Comrades are perfectly good lefties but don’t fool yourself as to which path the SDLP leadership is taking

Mark Durkan already said the day FF announced they were organising in the North, "We welcome today’s announcement and look forward to continuing our engagement with Fianna Fáil through Dermot Ahern’s new working group”. After waffling on a bit he talked of “opportunities of the new political alignments for the people of Ireland and not just increasing the number of parties contesting elections in the North”.

Translated from the original Stoopie dialect that means the SDLP will work with the Fianna Fail committee to organise in Northern Ireland and don’t want to contest elections against Fianna Fail. Durkan is throwing his lot in with Fianna Fail

SDLP Deputy Leader Alisdair McDonnell was even worse cringingly saying on Radio Ulster that, “Fianna Fail will wisely decide the best arrangement for them is to work out a closer relationship” with the SDLP and as a pragmatic party will “probably work through us” and “provide us with some expertise in terms of re-organising ourselves”.

I’m sure the Fianna Fail announcement was to an extent a distraction away from berties testament to the tribunals (although the southern media took no interest), but the whole incident has exposed the SDLP leadership’s craven desire to join with Fianna Fail in a hope to save their hides. I doubt Labour and Sinn Fein are terribly put out by this.

I doubt the Labour Party is losing too much sleep about this. But if Labour Youth wants to do something useful try set things up so you can recruit your comrades in SDLP Youth and leave Mark Durkan and his friends to their fate.

[El Matador]

...don’t fool yourself as to which path the SDLP leadership is taking... Durkan is throwing his lot in with Fianna Fail

Firstly, the SDLP leadership has made no 'decision'- it's business as usual. What other parties choose to do is up to them, and the SDLP will happily talk to anyone.

Secondly, even if the leadership had taken a 'desision', it wouldn't matter- it's the membership of the party that decides its direction.

Thirdly- Alban is Chair of the party's Assembly Group, a senior figure- Séamas mentions how he very vociferously spoke in favour of the SDLP's mission and identity. How does that square with your unfounded claims?

[factual]

Alban is Chair of the party's Assembly Group, a senior figure- Séamas mentions how he very vociferously spoke in favour of the SDLP's mission and identity.

An ageing party that puts no workers on the ground?

Where is the sdlp on this story

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7020484.stm

it seems that the SDLP cannot even comment on serious problems its home turf, leaving only the DUP - a small party in that city - to comment

[infamous-el-guapo]

Alban is Chair of the party's Assembly Group, a senior figure- Séamas mentions how he very vociferously spoke in favour of the SDLP's mission and identity.

An ageing party that puts no workers on the ground?

Where is the sdlp on this story

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7020484.stm

it seems that the SDLP cannot even comment on serious problems its home turf, leaving only the DUP - a small party in that city - to comment

Relevance to the thread or just more shinner ramblings?

OFF showed their true colours at the event and can be assured that their behaviour was noted by everyone who was there.

[nineteensixtyseven]

Alban is Chair of the party's Assembly Group, a senior figure- Séamas mentions how he very vociferously spoke in favour of the SDLP's mission and identity.

An ageing party that puts no workers on the ground?

Where is the sdlp on this story

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7020484.stm

it seems that the SDLP cannot even comment on serious problems its home turf, leaving only the DUP - a small party in that city - to comment

It was probably OSF doing the rioting! :P

[seamasdefaoite]

Alban is Chair of the party's Assembly Group, a senior figure- Séamas mentions how he very vociferously spoke in favour of the SDLP's mission and identity.

An ageing party that puts no workers on the ground?

Where is the sdlp on this story

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7020484.stm

it seems that the SDLP cannot even comment on serious problems its home turf, leaving only the DUP - a small party in that city - to comment

It was probably OSF doing the rioting! :P

youre probably right

and if the provos are going to snipe at the SDLP about membership on the ground, then perhaps next time you're running in an election in the south please remember to get canvassers who are from the south and not ones who look and sound like they are straight out of maghaberry.

You have little or no organisation that i have seen of in the republic, just people bused down from belfast

[PaddyDevlin]

Firstly, the SDLP leadership has made no 'decision'- it's business as usual. What other parties choose to do is up to them, and the SDLP will happily talk to anyone.

Secondly, even if the leadership had taken a 'desision', it wouldn't matter- it's the membership of the party that decides its direction.

The SDLP Leader has announced the SDLP will engage with the Committee to establish Fianna Fail in Northern Ireland - is this not a decision?

As for my claims being unfounded I've quoted both Mark Durkan and Alisdair McDonnell to support what I've said.

I accept what you say about the SDLP ordinary members (or conference delegates?) voting the ultimate deal that is struck between the SDLP & Fianna Fail. However any party that seriously considers itself Socialist or Social Democrat would not be negotiating such a "realignment" with Fianna Fail

Thirdly- Alban is Chair of the party's Assembly Group, a senior figure- Séamas mentions how he very vociferously spoke in favour of the SDLP's mission and identity. How does that square with your unfounded claims?

I agree with you about Alban McGuinness - I would consider him Labour leaning - my criticism is directed at the Leader and Deputy Leader of the SDLP. I don't think everyone in the SDLP wants to join Fianna Fail

[baldur0300]

FF snub SDLP youth event because Durkan wasn't there

On Saturday the SDLP youth had held an event about Civil Rights in the 21st Century.

SDLP youth press statement

Members of Labour Youth and Young Greens were in attendance. However members of OFF turned up at the start for a Photo Shoot with Ivan Cooper and then on realisation that Mark Durkan wasnt there they promptly disappeared. Durkan eventually arrived for his Q&A session which was due to start at 3.30. It was at this time that one solitary member of OFF turned up to ask just one (clearly scripted) question "What is your reaction to the Taoiseachs comments about FF considering organisation in Northern Ireland?" or something along those lines.
Otherwise the event went really well with encouraging debate about how we can progress with the Civil Rights agenda in the 21st century.
Alban Magennis made a very strong statement about keeping the SDLP's identity which was clearly a salvo at both FF and SF.

So what are FF really up to? It is clearly nothing along the lines of a happy merger with the SDLP and isnt about thrashing SF they can do that south of the border. I think that personally it is one of two things. A) A distraction away from a crumbling government and berties testament to the tribunals or B) A ruse to rattle the shinners and Labour by spliting the SDLP and taking the right wing minority away from it. SDLP members beware. If anything FF will do to you it will be to gobble you up, chew up and spit you out with no mercy.

This is pathetic stuff altogether. I was invited along to this event but unfortunately could not attend. So you are trying to score cheap political points on the basis that only one member attended. I've organised inter political events and some parties have no attended. I would never dream of going after the party because they couldn't get people to attend.

Now as for this whole merger talk, it has been coming from the SDLP and from the media not FF. I am not sure of my feelings towards the idea but to suggest that this is somehow affected by a small showing at a sdlp youth event is just stupidity. The move to the six has been talked about for ages, long before Bertie and the tribunal. Stop talking rubbish!